22 March 2010

Spring has definitely sprung and with it we shed our winter coats, our hearts seem lighter and our smiles more ready!!!!! The buds are on the trees and tulips and daffodils have just started to blossom. Spring is here and with its arrival, an array of new taste sensations and ingredients.

For people from the provinces of Ontario and Quebec Spring is not Spring without a trip to a sugar shack, or "sucrerie." It's a centuries-old tradition when tapping the maples, collecting sap, hewing the wood to fire up the cauldrons and boiling down the syrup required every family member to be involved. Flash forward to the 1960s when this tradition of necessity turned into a fun outing to buy the year's supply of syrup, and to indulge, just once a year in a real belly-buster of a meal... pea soup, baked beans, meatballs, thick omelettes, tourtiere, ham, sausages, pickles, pancakes, and sugar pie. I remember being at the "sucerie" and the owners would throw hot boiling syrup on the snow to make a special kind of "taffy". Of course by the time I took my own daughter to the sugar bush they were charging for this special treat but it was still just as special.Pouding chômeur (literally pudding of the unemployed, poor man's pudding or Welfare Pudding) is a dessert of Quebec origin that uses Spring maple syrup as a key ingredient. It is easy and quick to prepare which makes this the perfect dessert for this time of year. It was created by female factory workers in 1929 during the Great Depression. It consists of a mix of flour, water, brown sugar, and other inexpensive ingredients that were common during the era. When money was tight, mom’s and grandma’s used to whip up this dessert inexpensively and easily because maple syrup was cheaper and more plentiful than sugar (back in the day). As you know maple syrup is like liquid gold these days.

Of course, the recipe has changed over the years, and has been adapted by a multitude of home cooks, but it still excellent! This is my version. Of course like many classic recipes there are as many adaptations as there are cooks. Some of the other recipes for this traditional dessert I have seen require creaming butter and adding cream which makes them a little more time consuming to prepare. This particular recipe is all about quick and "easy peasy" but the texture of the cake is somewhere between a sponge cake and a biscuit.

When I was a little girl my mom used to make a "self saucing" pudding whenever she had a craving for something sweet. As a child it seemed magical, for even though you mix the ingredients together as you would any cake batter, the batter would separate into two layers as it bakes. The top layer becomes a light and airy sponge 'cake' and underneath is a deliciously sweet 'sauce'.

My preference is to bake this dessert in individual ramekins so when your guests dip their spoons into the pudding they will be pleasantly surprised to find not only cake on their spoons but also a yummy maple flavoured sauce. I sometimes dust the tops of the puddings with confectioners (icing or powdered sugar) along with a dollop of softly whipped cream and maybe some fresh fruit. I think it's nice served with thick Greek yogurt or creme fraiche, which is really refreshing and helps to cut the sweetness.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, nutmeg and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cooled melted butter and milk. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and gently fold in until combined. Spoon the mixture onto the bottom of a baking dish or divide between 8 ramekins.

Whisk together the water, maple syrup, brown sugar, butter and cornstarch; pour it over the batter. (If you're making individual ones it will seem like a lot of liquid for each little ramekin, but it quickly sinks to the bottom and the containers won't overflow.) Place the baking dish(es) onto a cookie sheet to catch any drips, and bake in a 375F oven until the tops are golden and just firm to the touch - about 15 minutes for ramekins and 40 minutes for one large pudding.

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to the author/owner of More Than Burnt Toast. All rights reserved by Valerie Harrison.

I love this post. I really enjoy recipes that come to us with a history of their own. This is a unique pudding and one that I will have to try very soon. I'm glad to hear that there are signs of spring in your area.

Wonderful story and dessert. I'll be trying this with my little horde of maple syrup. I've been wanting something simple and sweet and not in the mood to do much of anything with a fuss, so this seems just about right. I like your new look on the blog.

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My blog More Than Burnt Toast has been my passion for almost 9 years and has evolved with me over time as I have gained confidence in the kitchen. Follow my travels through Italy and Greece one recipe at a time, upcoming cooking classes at local Okanagan wineries and restaurants, as well as daily experimentation in my own kitchen. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market. I look forward to getting to know you.